Miley Cyrus and SZA
John Sciulli/Getty Images for Gucci; Kevin Winter/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
Miley Cyrus’ “Flowers” and SZA’s “Kill Bill” held down the top two spots on the Billboard Hot 100 for six consecutive weeks earlier this year (from Jan. 28 through March 4). “Flowers” was on top in each of those weeks, though “Kill Bill” finally moved up for a week on top in late April.
“Flowers” and “Kill Bill” probably aren’t done competing, either. The two hits are likely to square off again when the nominations for the 66th annual Grammy Awards are announced later this year. Both hits are very likely to be nominated for record of the year. It would be Cyrus’ first nomination in that category; SZA’s third, but her first on her own. She was previously nominated for collabs with Kendrick Lamar (“All the Stars” from Black Panther) and Doja Cat (“Say So”).
“Flowers” and “Kill Bill” would be the sixth pair of singles that held the top two spots on the Hot 100 concurrently for six or more weeks and later squared off again for record of the year at the Grammys. Cyrus’ dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, is involved in one of the pairs. Little Nas X‘s “Old Town Road” (featuring Cyrus) was locked in a similarly fierce battle for No. 1 with Billie Eilish’s “Bad Guy,” before their rematch the Grammys.
Here are the six pairs of singles that spent six or more weeks in the top two positions on the Hot 100 concurrently and later competed again for record of the year at the Grammys. They are listed in ascending order, with the pair that had the most weeks in the top two listed last.
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1994: “I’ll Make Love to You” vs. “All I Wanna Do“
On the Hot 100: Boyz II Men’s bedroom R&B ballad and Crow’s jaunty pop-rock smash held the top two spots on the Hot 100 concurrently for six consecutive weeks, from Oct. 8 through Nov. 12, 1994. Boyz II Men’s smash was on top in each of those weeks. It was No. 1 for 14 consecutive weeks, which allowed it to tie Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You” for the longest run at No. 1 on the Hot 100 to that point. Those six weeks at No. 2 constituted the peak for “All I Wanna Do.”
At the Grammys: There was a reversal of fortune. Both singles were nominated for record of the year, but this time Crow came out on top.
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2005: “Hollaback Girl” vs. “We Belong Together“
Weeks as the top two: 7
On the Hot 100: Gwen Stefani’s solo smash, which she co-wrote with The Neptunes, and Mariah Carey’s comeback smash held the top two spots concurrently for seven nonconsecutive weeks, from May 28 through July 23, 2005. Carey’s smash was ahead in six of those seven weeks. Carey’s song spent 14 nonconsecutive weeks at No. 1, compared to four consecutive weeks on top for “Hollaback Girl.”
At the Grammys: Both singles were nominated for record of the year, but neither won. The award went to Green Day’s rock ballad “Boulevard of Broken Dreams.”
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1998: “The Boy Is Mine” vs. “You’re Still the One“
Weeks as the top two: 8
On the Hot 100: Brandy & Monica’s R&B showdown and Shania Twain’s country ballad held the top two spots concurrently for eight consecutive weeks from June 20 through Aug. 8, 1998. “The Boy Is Mine” logged 13 consecutive weeks at No. 1, setting a new record (which still stands) for a female duet. “You’re Still the One” logged nine nonconsecutive weeks at No. 2.
At the Grammys: Both singles were nominated for record of the year, but neither won. The award went to Celine Dion’s “My Heart Will Go On,” from Titanic, the top-grossing film of the 1990s.
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2015: “Uptown Funk!” vs. “Thinking Out Loud“
Weeks as the top two: 8
On the Hot 100: Mark Ronson exhilarating collab with Bruno Mars and Ed Sheeran’s graceful ballad held the top two spots concurrently for eight consecutive weeks from Jan. 31 through March 21, 2015. “Uptown Funk!” logged 14 consecutive weeks at No. 1. These eight weeks in the runner-up spot represented the peak for “Thinking Out Loud.”
At the Grammys: “Uptown Funk!” beat “Thinking Out Loud” again for record of the year, though Sheeran’s ballad won song of the year. (“Uptown Funk!,” though eligible, wasn’t nominated in that category.)
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2019: “Old Town Road” vs. “Bad Guy“
Weeks as the top two: 9
On the Hot 100: The hip-hop/country blend by Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus and Billie Eilish’s quirky pop smash held the top two spots concurrently for nine nonconsecutive weeks, from June 8 through Aug. 17, 2019. LNX was ahead all nine of those weeks.
“Old Town Road” held the top spot for 19 consecutive weeks — setting a new record (which still stands) for the longest run at No. 1 in Hot 100 history. “Bad Guy” ultimately dethroned “Old Town Road,” grabbing one week of Hot 100 glory.
At the Grammys: There was a reversal of fortune. Both singles were nominated, but “Bad Guy” won — part of Eilish’s historic sweep of the Grammys’ Big Four categories that year.
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2014: “Shake It Off” vs. “All About That Bass“
Weeks as the top two: 11
On the Hot 100: Taylor Swift’s sassy hit (with its astute life advice) and Meghan Trainor’s doo-wop-shaded song about body positivity held the top two spots concurrently for 11 consecutive weeks from Sept. 13 through Nov. 22, 2014. Trainor was in the lead for eight of those weeks.
Swift’s hit was No. 1 for two weeks before being pushed aside by Trainor’s hit for eight weeks. But Swift had enough firepower left to return to No. 1 for two additional weeks.
At the Grammys: Both singles were nominated for record of the year, but neither won. The award went to Sam Smith for the “Darkchild Version” of his breakthrough hit, “Stay With Me.”